In front of the sun, were dozens of grey clouds. They seemed heavy. Water droplets could be seen falling, hitting the windows, hydrating the garden plants, and soaking the students who were headed toward the academy.
Hajime was resting on a luxurious bed but the sound of thunder woke him up. A headache plagued his mind as he opened his eyes. It felt as if he had dirt in his eyes. He tried to get it out but some sort of fabric got in his way. Grabbing the thin fabric, sitting upright on the bed, his eyes widening at the fabric, he was holding a panty.
"What?"
He flipped the panty over. Its black and orange patterns were unfamiliar. He then noticed a bra next to him, identical to the panty. He frantically looked around and found two sets of clothes lying on the floor. He recognized the one that belonged to him and the other was-
"Rum?"
A few bottles of rum lay next to the clothes. Empty. His headache throbbed at the sight of the bottles. A sour taste filled his mouth. He remembered what he did and who he did it with. Crashing back onto the bed, hoping it was a dream, hoping the A-cup bra was Sakura's, he heard a knock on the door.
"Hajime Starfall. Aveline Lichtenia demands your presence at the Flora Binding room."
Hajime sighed dejectedly. Aveline didn't waste any time. He put on his pajamas and opened the door. The guard eyed him up and down before she gestured to his uniform lying in front of Aveline's room. She escorted him to Aveline, preventing him from escaping, preventing a political scandal.
The walk felt long yet short, like time and space warped around Hajime, like it was only a second since he woke up, like the world was laughing at his misfortune. The hangover didn't help. The building was empty aside from Aveline's maid, who stood in front of a Flora Binding room. Rainwater dripped from her uniform, and her wet hair stuck to her face. She stared at Hajime with a bitter glare, one that could freeze hell. She unlocked the room and stood to the side.
Hajime walked into the room, that was the size of a living room, the guard locking the door behind him. His eyes had to adjust to the dim light.
"Aveline."
She looked up from her book and gestured for the assistant to start the unbinding ritual.
"Aveline, I'm sorry, but can you rethink this?"
She returned her gaze to the book.
"I'll do any-"
"For what? Lying? Using me? Keeping secrets? Disrespecting me?"
He didn't answer- he couldn't answer.
Aveline scoffed.
"I knew it." she closed the book, "I'm the princess of a powerful empire and I'm only worth an 'I'm sorry'?"
Hajime bit his tongue.
"Why didn't you just lie to me? Or better yet not go look for another partner?"
He stayed silent.
"What was your plan even? Get me to like you and somehow convince me to stay with you while you bond with other Floraliths?"
Hajime couldn't deny her claims; that was his plan.
"I didn't have one."
She threw her book on the floor- tears in her eyes.
"Another lie."
"I'm sorry Aveline, I never meant to hurt you."
"Tell me Hajime. If I agreed to keep our bond- to somehow trust you again. Would you stop pursuing Calantha?"
He took a deep breath.
"No."
Aveline wiped her tears.
"Unbelievable. How many secrets are you keeping from me? Am I not good enough?"
"No, you're the only one- "
"That you don't trust?"
His headache was killing him, making it hard to focus, making it difficult to comfort Aveline. The assistant's annoying incantations made it worse.
"Almost done." the assistant said.
Aveline glared at the assistant and told her to leave.
"Hajime. We're alone. This is the last chance you'll get. What are you hiding?
A sharp pain assaulted Hajime's mind.
[Host has earned 500.000 Flower Points]
[Host has deflowered two out of five floraliths]
[Aveline Lichtenia is currently under emotional distress]
[For 300.000 points, the host can influence Aveline's mind]
Hajime's chest tightened and his body felt heavy. Those points were earned from breaking his promise to himself, from hurting Aveline, from lying. He was disgusted by his actions. The system even suggested mind-control, so that means deep down he even considered using it on Aveline. He looked at Aveline, her tearful eyes, her trembling body, her clenched fist. She was pissed, but she was also heartbroken.
He was falling in love with her but not enough to put Sakura, Sophia, or Aurora in danger. The threat Charlotte posed was insignificant compared to the threat that Empress Tella or Empress Lichtenia or '???' could pose. Hajime swallowed uncomfortably; Octavia's words echoed in his mind. Could the Aictes sense the System, he thought.
"I can't tell you Aveline." Hajime said, "I'm sorry, please believe me when I say I wish I could but I can't."
She shook her head.
"I truly am sorry."
"Not good enough."
Aveline knocked on the wooden door and the assistant returned along with Aveline's maid, the guard, and a man, dressed in a gold Rosevale uniform.
Aveline sniffled before she pointed to the man.
"Meet my new partner, Blake."
Hajime stared at her.
"He's the son of a duke and has the potential to reach Avyris."
The man introduced himself but Hajime couldn't hear him. His thoughts were jumbled. Humans and Floraliths couldn't have sex but they could still pleasure each other in different ways. The thought that Blake could possibly touch, kiss, or pleasure Aveline made him want to bash the guy's skull in.
Blake offered a handshake and Hajime took it.
"Hajime," Hajime said, tightening his grip.
The guy winced in pain. Hajime let go and Blake rubbed his hand.
"Uh, nice to meet you too."
Hajime scanned Blake with lith's eye; he was weaker than Hajime; Hajime could kill him. But he shook his head. He wasn't a killer but then the image of Julian popped into his head, his first.
'How many points?'
The System knew exactly what he wanted.
[Painless or painful]
'Painful'
[Cost: 200.000 Points]
'Will I have enough points to-'
[Of course]
A sharp pain in his neck brought him back to reality: his and Aveline's tattoos activated.
"Hajime Starfall, state the following incantation and the bond will be undone."
Hajime took a deep breath in and read the incantation before walking up to Aveline. He knelt down, placing his head on her foot, agonizingly saying the incarnation, breaking their bond. A blinding light filled the room as the world turned white. A freezing mist spewed out from the magic circle as multiple screams echoed in the room. Drawing the attention of the strongest woman in Petalfall.